In the related art, a roof apparatus disclosed in JP 2003-165343A (Reference 1) has been known. As illustrated in FIG. 11, out of a plurality of panels covering an opening formed in a roof of a vehicle, a first panel 101 arranged in a vehicle front part is joined to a liner 102 made of a resin material, which extends along a rear edge thereof in a vehicle width direction. In contrast, a retainer 106 made of the resin material, which extends along a front edge thereof in the vehicle width direction, is disposed in a second panel (not illustrated) which is adjacent to the first panel 101 and arranged in a rear part of the vehicle. The retainer 106 extends forward with respect to the vehicle and downward in a vehicle height direction further than the second panel.
An upper portion of the retainer 106 is joined to a first weather strip 111 which extends along a longitudinal direction thereof in the vehicle width direction. The first weather strip 111 is in liquid-tight contact with the liner 102 of the first panel 101 overlapped in the vehicle height direction, and seals a clearance (boundary portion) between the first panel 101 and the second panel.
In addition, the roof has a second weather strip 112 which seals a clearance between an edge end of the first panel 101 and the second panel in the vehicle width direction (edge end of a resin portion where the liner 102 and the retainer 106 are integrated with each other) and the opening. Furthermore, the roof has a third weather strip 113 which seals a clearance between a lower surface of an edge portion of the first panel 101 and the second panel in the vehicle width direction (resin portion where the liner 102 and the retainer 106 are integrated with each other) and the opening.
Then, a first protection wall 103 covering, integrally with the liner 102, a tip portion in the vehicle width direction of the first weather strip 111 is erected in a tip portion in the vehicle width direction of a rear end of the first panel 101. In addition, a second protection wall 107 which is integrated with the retainer 106 and positioned below, in the vehicle height direction, the tip portion in the vehicle width direction of the first weather strip 111 and positioned further inside in the vehicle width direction than the first protection wall 103 is erected in a tip portion in the vehicle width direction of a front end of the second panel.
Accordingly, for example, when a high pressure cleaning solution is injected to clean the vehicle, even if the high pressure cleaning solution permeates a clearance with the second weather strip 112, the first and second protection walls 103 and 107 prevent the high pressure cleaning solution from being directly sprayed on the tip portion in the vehicle width direction of the first weather strip 111 or the third weather strip 113 (sealing surface). Therefore, it is possible to improve a sealing performance of the tip portion in the vehicle width direction in the clearance (boundary portion) between the first panel 101 and the second panel.
Incidentally, in Reference 1, the second protection wall 107 extends across a clearance between the first panel 101 and the second panel in a range in a vehicle longitudinal direction. Consequently, it is necessary to increase an arrangement space in the vehicle width direction in the range of a roof apparatus.